Slow Cooker Basic Black Beans

Beans have become an important part of my weekly diet over the past fews years. Incorporating beans into your diet is a great way to add protein and nutrients; this is especially important for vegetarians + vegans. Every week I like to make a big batch of beans to use throughout the week. I love using the traditional Mexican olla {clay pot} to cook the beans in and have shared my recipes forFrijoles de Ollaand Simple Mexican Black Beans. The idea of having beans cook on the stove for a few hours just doesn’t sound very appealing during the hot Summer weather. This is where the slow cooker comes in.

You can still make a batch of beans to use throughout the week without having to heat up the house! The slow cooker does a great job cooking the beans. You can soak the beans if you prefer, but it isn’t necessary. I have done both ways and honestly I usually can’t tell much of a difference when I use the slow cooker. My favorite dried bean to cook would definitely have to be the black bean.

The black beans go into the slow cooker, along with some aromatics: white onions and garlic. Typically in Mexico a spring of epazote is added to the black beans as the cook. Epazote can be hard to find in the U.S., so I decided to leave it out. The beans get covered with boiling water and the slow cooker is set to high for 4 hours. That is it! It is really that easy.

After 3 hours, I like to check the beans to see if they are almost done cooking. If they are almost tender, go ahead and add the salt. Cook for another 20-30 minutes or until the beans are done.

You want to make sure that your beans are fresh and haven’t been sitting in your cupboard for longer than you can remember. I have tried cooking older beans, and they just won’t cook all the way; even after hours and hours.

This recipe is meant to be a starting base to use in other recipes that call for cooked black beans. Use these Slow Cooker Basic Black Beans in your favorite stews, soups or casseroles. There are endless uses for black beans! Plus, cooking beans from scratch is a much more economical choice than purchase canned beans. It’s a win-win!

Slow Cooker Basic Black Beans

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 4 hours15 minutes

Make a batch of these easy Slow Cooker Black Beans to use throughout the week in your favorite black bean recipes. Making beans from scratch may take a little planning, but it will save you money and homemade beans are always better! The slow cooker does all the work without heating up the kitchen!

Ingredients

1 Pound Black Beans

6-7 Cups Boiling Hot Water

1 White Onion, quartered

3 Whole Garlic Cloves

2 Tsp Salt, or to taste

Instructions

Sort the beans and remove any stones. Rinse the beans under cold water.

If soaking the beans, place the beans in a large bowl and cover with water and let sit overnight. Drain and rinse the beans. If not soaking, just skip this step.

Place the beans into your slow cooker and add the onion pieces and garlic cloves. Pour over the boiling water and cover.

Set the slow cooker on high for 4 hours. After 3 hours have passed, checked to see if the beans are done. If they are still firm continue cooking and check every 15 minutes to see if they are done. If they are almost tender, go ahead and add the salt and cook for another 20 minutes or until they are done cooking.

Remove the onion and garlic before using.

Use right away or let the beans cool completely before storing.

Notes

The prep time doesn't included soaking time.The cooking time can vary from slow cooker to slow cooker. Some run hotter than others. Just be sure to check your beans at the 3 hour mark. Some will take longer than that to cook.